


Beautiful Ben

by can_i_slytherin



Series: Ben Mitchell and Callum Highway [4]
Category: EastEnders (TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Ben Mitchell Loves Callum "Halfway" Highway, Domestic Fluff, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Love, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-27
Updated: 2020-05-27
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:40:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 975
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24405937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/can_i_slytherin/pseuds/can_i_slytherin
Summary: Set after the events of 26/06/20
Relationships: Callum "Halfway" Highway/Ben Mitchell
Series: Ben Mitchell and Callum Highway [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1657663
Comments: 6
Kudos: 49





	Beautiful Ben

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this in response to last night's episode because it done broke my heart. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy! Comments and Kudos always welcome! 
> 
> Happy Reading!

"How can you?! I'm not the man you fell in love with! It's only a matter of time before everyone finds out!" 

The words rang clear in his head and Callum stared at Ben, mouth hanging open in shock. 

"What?" Callum spluttered, blinking slowly, the cogs in his brain whirring as he struggled to comprehend the words that had just fallen from Ben's lips. 

Beautiful Ben. With his smile and his laugh. With his heart of gold and his protective streak a mile long. With his early morning and late night cuddles. With his killer cooking abilities. With his pigheadedness. With his love and his kindness. With his sensitivity and insecurity. With his eyes, so deep and blue that Callum could get lost in them if he stared for too long. 

"Callum, I ain't good for you," Ben murmured, staring determinedly at the door to the Mitchell Household. 

Callum followed his line of sight and huffed in annoyance, reaching up to grasp at Ben's chin. He pulled his head back and forced him to look at him. 

"I don't give a toss whether you think you're good enough or not. I get to make that decision, not you," he gestured wildly towards the house. "Phil is so bloody set in his ways and you have to stop letting him get to you," Callum ranted, fingertips caressing Ben's cheeks as he lifted both hands to cradle his face. "You are perfect, Ben. Just as you are and I love you. Hearing or deaf. I didn't fall in love with you because you could hear, jesus Ben, I ain't that shallow. I fell in love with you because of who you are in here," he dropped a hand to Ben's chest, settling it over his heart. "I fell in love with your stubbornness and your pride. With your strength and your weakness. I fell in love with you because, under all this hard man exterior, there's a soft mushy bloke who just wants to be loved," Callum paused, stroking his thumb across Ben's cheek and smiling when the smaller man leant into the touch. "Ben, let me love you. Please. Let me be here. Dont push me away." 

Every word spoken chipped away at Ben's armour and bulldozered the walls around his heart, leaving him completely exposed to Callum's love and warmth. 

He tried to stay strong, tried to resist the urge to lean into him, but he ultimately failed. As he always did where Callum was concerned. If there was anyone that could thoroughly break through Ben's rock-hard exterior, it was Callum. It was always Callum. 

"Callum…" Ben whimpered, his eyes slipping shut as he turned his head and pressed a kiss against his wrist. 

Callum tapped his cheek, coaxing him to open his eyes, "I'm here, Ben, I'm here. Come back to me, yeah? Just let go." 

"I'm afraid to fall," Ben admitted. "What if I cant get back up?" 

"Then, I'll be here to catch you and carry you back to the top," Callum retorted, leaning forward to press a kiss against Ben's nose, smiling when he laughed and playfully shoved him away. 

"You promise?" Ben whispered, an edge of insecurity to his voice. 

Callum's heart clenched painfully and he nodded, "Always. As long as you want me, I'll be here. I'm not letting you go. I wont let you fall, Ben. I'm here." 

"I love you," Ben choked out, throat tightening as tears sprang to his eyes. 

"I love you," Callum replied, leaning forward to press a kiss against Ben's temple, "Just let go, okay? Just let go." 

"Callum…" Ben breathed, fingers coming to curl in the lapels of Callum's coat, holding him close. 

Callum dropped his hands from Ben's cheeks to wrap his arms around Ben's shoulders, lifting his hands to cradle the back of his head, holding him close. Ben tucked his face into Callum's neck and the taller man grinned, dropping his head to press a kiss into Ben's hair. 

"I'm here," Callum soothed, even though Ben couldn't hear him, "I've got you." 

He gently tapped Ben's shoulder, coaxing the taller man to lift his head, "Home?" 

Ben nodded, keeping close to Callum as they wandered through the square towards the flat. 

When they stepped through the door, into the flat, Ben pounced on Callum, wrapping his arms around the taller man's waist and burying his head in Callum's chest. 

Ben felt Callum's chuckle and grinned when the other man patted his head softly, slender fingers wrapping around a few strands of hair and tugging it gently. 

"Bed," Ben grunted, sounding thoroughly caveman-like, but he didn't care. He wanted to cuddle with Callum, the rest of the world be damned. 

Callum pushed him away slightly, grinning at him and pressing a kiss between his eyes, "Go and get comfy, yeah? I'm gonna make us some hot chocolate and then we can lay in bed, cuddle and watch cheesy 80s comedies, okay?" 

Ben groaned and wrapped his fist in the front of Callum's shirt, pulling him down into a kiss, "You know me so well," he hissed once he'd pulled away. 

"You're damn right, I do," Callum retorted, grinning when Ben planted a fleeting kiss to his lips before shuffling away to the bedroom. 

Callum watched him go with a smile and sauntered over to the fridge. As he set about making their hot chocolate, Callum found himself thinking about Ben. 

He was worried, that much was true. But, he needed to be strong for Ben, to show him that he wasnt leaving or giving up. He needed to be there to catch him when he inevitably fell. 

He just hoped that it was enough. That he was enough and deep down, he knew that it was. They had each other and, as long as they did, everything would be okay. 


End file.
